Preston Estate Planning - February 2022

Preston Estate Planning - February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

Meet Jesa, Our New Estate Planning Attorney Her Parents Needed a Lawyer — So She Became One!

If there’s one story that will tell you who I am, it’s this one: I decided to become a lawyer almost literally overnight. I was in college at the time. My parents owned a small business, and they called to tell me they’d run into legal trouble. My stomach did a somersault. That business was our family’s livelihood! I was just a student, but I really wanted to help my mom and dad, so I started hitting the legal books. It was awful. I felt more lost, confused, and helpless with every page I turned. But no one else in my family was a lawyer, so I was my parents’ best hope. The harder I tried to find a solution, the more disoriented I felt. Finally,

firm working on the early part of the planning process. I met with clients, identified their needs, and either created estate plans with them or helped maintain the plans they had. It was really enjoyable work, but I wanted to learn more about the other side of the planning process — specifically, what happens legally when someone passes away. I also wanted to leave the big out-of-state firm I was working for and find a law firm based right here in San Diego. My family’s roots are here, including my parents, siblings, and cousins. I never want to leave!

and exploring the outdoors. I love taking advantage of the sunny San Diego weather to go hiking, paddleboarding, and roller-skating (although I’m not very good at it yet). If you like to paddleboard, I definitely recommend visiting Coronado at sunset. It’s gorgeous! You can paddle right out to the Coronado Bridge and watch the sun sink into the water. If you’re a hiker, I might have seen you on Mount Woodson. Like everyone else, I love hiking out to Potato Chip Rock for a photo. Hopefully, this story has helped you get to know me a little. I’m here at Preston for the long haul and can’t wait to see what the future brings. If you’re working with Don’s team on your estate settlement, keep an eye on your inbox — you just might get an email or phone call from me.

I started job hunting, and the pieces fell into place. I found my dream position in Preston’s Estate Settlement Department last October. It ticks both of my boxes, and I love working with Don Zoellner on probate, which is the back end of the estate

I decided there was only one way to get answers: become a real lawyer.

After that realization, I interned at an attorney’s office and went straight from college into law school.

planning process. I help him create petitions, review the assets

I didn’t become a business lawyer, but I did learn from my family’s legal

that would go into probate, and prepare inventories. Before long, I’ll start going to probate court! I’m finally 100% happy with my work thanks to Preston. I also don’t have to worry about being transferred away from my family. We spend a lot of time together talking, eating,

problems. They ultimately sold their company and moved on to other dreams, but by then, I’d discovered that law was my passion and path in life. I didn’t want to quit!

–Jesa

After law school, I dove into the world of estate planning. My first job was with an out-of-state

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Your Benefits, Explained! Part 5: The Health Care Vault

You’re holding a hot-off-the-press newsletter, and you know what that means — it’s time for the next part of our series, “Your Benefits, Explained!” For the last four months, we’ve covered one of the 10 benefits of your Life Plan Membership in each issue. Today, we’re going to walk you through perhaps the most important benefit of all, which could actually save your life: the Health Care Vault! What is the Health Care Vault? The Health Care Vault is a secure online portal at MyHealthDocs.com where our team stores digital copies of your most important medical documents: your Advance Health Care Directive and HIPAA release (the document that authorizes medical professionals to share information with your list of approved people). It’s a private online space owned by Preston Estate Planning. This vault is vital for a few reasons. • First, you can access it quickly when you need copies of your paperwork — for example, when you’re at the doctor’s office or hospital about to undergo a procedure. This saves you time filling out the same forms twice, makes it easier to switch providers, and ensures you are using the copies you created with the input of your legal team here at Preston Estate Planning. • Second, your loved ones and medical professionals can access the vault in emergency situations, giving them the vital documents they need to make crucial health care decisions for you. This will ensure your wishes are carried out even if you’re unconscious or unable to communicate. How do I set up my Health Care Vault? We do it for you! When you become a Life Plan Member, we create your Advance Health Care Directive and HIPAA release. Then, we upload them to your Health Care Vault so they are waiting for you when you log in. How do I access it? After signing your Life Plan, you should have received an Emergency Medical Information Card to keep in your wallet or purse. That card is the key to unlocking your Health Care Vault! The Emergency Medical Information Card looks like a credit card, and you should keep it with you at all times. On the card, you’ll find your member ID and personal identification number (PIN). You can use that information to access MyHealthDocs.com. The card comes with a companion sticker that goes on your driver’s license to alert medical professionals to the fact that you have a card.

Anyone with your card, a photo of your card, or your member ID and PIN can access your Health Care Vault. We recommend sharing those details only with people you trust, like your spouse, a sibling, or your adult children. If you go into the doctor’s office or hospital for a procedure, you can hand your card over to them when they ask for a copy of one of the documents stored there, or they can find it in your purse or wallet during an emergency. When a medical provider logs in, they will have access only to your Advance Health Care Directive and HIPAA release. No other personal or financial information is stored on the site. How can it save my life? The Health Care Vault can be life-saving in two situations. During an emergency, it will give your doctors and loved ones access to the forms that hold your wishes, including if and/or how long you’d like to be on life support. Without these documents, your loved ones might make decisions contrary to your wishes. Worse, if you’re conscious in a medical emergency and you don’t have access to your Advance Health Care Directive, you may be asked to fill out a new one on the spot, which can be very dangerous, as explained below. In fact, the Vault is crucial even in a nonemergency situation. If you go in for a routine medical procedure without your Emergency Medical Card, the health care providers may ask you to fill out an Advanced Health Care Directive again. This new form will void the form you carefully filled out with your attorney, and you could easily make a life-altering mistake while filling it out, for example, by selecting something you don’t want with regards to life support. The medical providers could even ask you to fill out a Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form. It’s very dangerous to fill this form out in a rush, because it has a “do not resuscitate” option, meaning if you check that box, you are opting out of CPR and similar life-saving treatments. By keeping your card with you and sharing documents in your vault, you can avoid the possibility of having to fill out these forms and doing so incorrectly. What should I do if I lose my card or if I never received one?

Call our office at 800-698-6918. We can cancel your old card, help you replace it, and update your login information within seven days.

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Sudoku

Celebrate Valentine’s DayWith Your Little Sweethearts Valentine’s Day isn’t just for adults. Let your kids know they are the most important loves in your life with these sweet, inexpensive ideas that the whole family can enjoy! Your children will remember these traditions for years to come. Make a special Valentine’s Day breakfast. Guess what? Pink pancakes, pink milk, and even pink eggs are a thing! With strawberry milk, food coloring and strawberries in the pancakes, and food coloring in the eggs, you’ll have an effortless and special breakfast for the little ones.

Solution on Pg. 4

VeganRed Velvet Cake

Inspired by LovingItVegan.com

Ingredients

• •

2 cups flour

•

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup white granulated sugar 1 tsp baking soda

• •

1/2 cup canola oil 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar

• • •

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

•

1 tsp red food coloring (gel works best)

Tip: Set the table the night before after the kids go to bed to make serving Valentine’s Day breakfast easier the next morning.

• •

1 tbsp lemon juice

•

Frosting of choice

Create Valentine’s Day cards for each kid. Tell your children all of your favorite things about them with their own personalized cards. There are so many ways you can get crafty with construction paper and glitter. Your kids are sure to love getting mommy-made or daddy-made one-of-a-kind valentines. Bake Valentine’s Day goodies together. What’s better than baking with your little ones? If you are short on time, you can find premade dough, usually with a Valentine’s Day theme. Or, you can try out your skills with heart-shaped cookie cutters and sprinkles. It can get messy, but it’s certainly worth it! Wrap up a small Valentine’s Day gift. Whether it’s a Valentine’s Day outfit, candy, a teddy bear, or a necklace, it doesn’t have to be big or costly! Your children will enjoy feeling the love, and they’ll be excited to get something new. Don’t forget to have fun with the wrapping! Most stores have Valentine’s Day gift bags and wrapping paper around this time of year.

1 cup soy milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease baking pans of choice. Line bottoms with parchment paper. (Two 8-inch round pans work best.) 2. In a large bowl, sift flour and mix in sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. 3. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and soy milk. Leave the mixture to sit for about a minute so it can curdle into buttermilk. 4. Add milk mixture, vanilla, oil, vinegar, and food coloring to the flour mixture, stirring well to break up large clumps. 5. Pour batter into pans and bake for 20 minutes. 6. Cool cakes completely before frosting with icing of choice.

Your baby valentines have stolen your heart — make sure they know it by spreading the love! Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Inside 1

A Family Quest Leads Jesa to Preston

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This Benefit Could Save Your Life

Celebrate Valentine’s Day With Your Kids

Vegan Red Velvet Cake

Health Benefits of Being in Love

The Power of Love

Love Really Can Be a Drug

It’s crazy to think that being head over heels, madly in love with someone can benefit your body in the same way that broccoli can, but it’s true! Science has proven that being in love comes with myriad health benefits. Fewer colds and natural pain control? Yes, please! Love triggers the “feel good” hormone, dopamine. When you first fall in love — and the butterflies are flying uncontrollably — dopamine is at very high levels, and mentally, you’re happy, healthy, and positive. As the relationship matures, oxytocin, also known as the bonding hormone, blends with dopamine and reduces stress. We all know that stress can lead to a number of health complications, so the less stress, the better! New research has found that just being around someone you love can act as a natural pain reliever. Research has also determined that married people complain less about headaches

and back pain. When your mind is happy, your immune system is stronger, making you less prone to getting a cold or stomach bug. Some research has even shown that happily married couples live

longer than those who are not happily married. The hormone vasopressin helps to control your blood pressure. Being in love releases vasopressin into your body, keeping your blood pressure at a healthy level. Both your heart and lungs are also impacted by the love you have for another.

If you aren’t in love, you can still reap the benefits through a strong and healthy social support

system. When you have friends who bring you joy and happiness, even just a hug may help to release positive hormones and keep your health on track. Take time to invest in positive relationships to keep your heart and body healthy and happy, both literally and figuratively.

So, what are you waiting for? Let the love flow!

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